John Fenske

Credential form factors include mobile devices that provide a better way to open doors HID Global 2014/2015 Review and Forecast: High-profile credit card breaches during 2014 raised the profile of low-security solutions while highlighting the need for more secure smart cards. There were no real surprises, as the industry steadily continued its large-scale transition to access control platforms based on open standards. This transition sets the stage for unprecedented innovations in access control security and convenience in the coming years. We anticipate there will be growing demand for new credential form factors including mobile devices that provide a better way to open doors. As an example, ASSA ABLOY Mobile Access for Hospitality went live during 2014 at Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, enabling Starwood Preferred Guest members to use their smartphone as a key at 10 hotels in markets including Beijing, Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles and Doha, with plans to expand use of the system to 30,000 doors in 150 hotels by early 2015. This deployment also validated the use of Bluetooth Smart as an easy to use connection solution for mobile access.  As these and other mobile access control solutions are deployed, their benefits will drive many companies and organizations to seriously consider incorporating a combination of secure mobile physical and logical access into their facilities and IT access strategies. We will see users carrying multiple secure identities on a single card or phone, with the potential to replace all previous mechanical keys and dedicated one-time password (OTP) hardware for physical and logical access control.  Using Bluetooth Smart or Near Field Communications (NFC) technology on cards or phones, users will be able to simply “tap in” to gain access to facilities, VPNs, wireless networks and cloud- and web-based applications, and take advantage of an access control ecosystem that provides a seamless user experience and can flexibly scale and adapt while delivering growing value to the organization. They’ll also use their Bluetooth Smart connection with gesture technology to open doors from a distance by rotating their smartphone as they approach a mobile-enabled reader.   HID Global laid the groundwork for exciting new capabilities in 2014 with the launch of our HID Mobile Access solution. It includes Mobile IDs and HID Mobile Access Apps that are used with our mobile-enabled iCLASS SE and/or multiclass SE readers, and our HID Secure Identity Services portal for managing users and issuing or revoking Mobile IDs.  We continue to believe that the introduction and accelerating adoption of mobile access solutions is one of the most important industry developments of the past few years, and we look forward to helping our customers make the transition to these exciting capabilities during 2015 and beyond.   Finally, the move to biometric authentication will also be a big trend during 2015. It will move the focus from technology to the user experience, and take us beyond the hassle and security risks of PINs and passwords by making it significantly easier to know if someone is who he or she claims to be. See the full coverage of 2014/2015 Review and Forecast articles here

Bluetooth Smart creates new ways to open doors and gates The latest generation of access control systems offers more secure and sophisticated credentials, and new credential form factors including mobile devices that offer a more secure and convenient way to open doors and parking gates. Mobile access control also delivers a simple and user-friendly secure identity management process, and a platform for integrated, multi-layered physical access control (PACS) and IT security solutions in the future. One of the most exciting opportunities for access control solutions on mobile devices involves the use of Bluetooth Smart short-range connectivity technology. Bluetooth combined with gesture technology will offer an additional benefit for access control -- the ability for users to open doors from a distance by rotating their smartphone as they approach a mobile-enabled reader. In this article, John Fenske, Vice President of Product Marketing at HID Global, discusses how this new gesture-based technology capability offers a new user experience, creates new ways to open doors and gates, and will enable many additional future applications.   Making the Connection There are two choices for short-range communications technology that enables smart cards and smartphones to “present” credentials to a reader: NFC and Bluetooth Smart. NFC technology has taken the lead for tap-in strong authentication use cases, enabling users to gain access to resources by simply tapping a smart card to a tablet or laptop for authenticating to a network or application. This capability may be possible in the future with smartphones, as well.  It is convenient because there is no need to enter a password on touch-screen devices, and there are no additional devices to issue and manage. Users can tap-in to facilities, VPNs, wireless networks, corporate Intranets and cloud- and web-based applications, as well as SSO clients. Organizations will need to take a technology-agnostic approach to short-range communication technology, especially to support physical access control applications such as opening doors and parking gates. In these applications, the industry is looking to Bluetooth Smart because of its broad availability on both Apple and Android device platforms.  Another advantage of Bluetooth Smart is its longer reach, which enables smartphones to incorporate gesture technology so they can simply be rotated  as the user walks up to a mobile-enabled reader. This new gesture technology capability will offer an additional layer of authentication and new ways to open doors and parking gates.  Bluetooth and NFC will provide more convenient ways to open doors and gates Rolling out Mobile Access Control Solutions Mobile access control will be supported by a user-friendly and highly intuitive identity deployment and management experience. Ideally, administrators will simply send users invitations to download an App directly to their phones. Once the invitation is accepted and the app is activated, mobile IDs can be immediately issued, provisioned or revoked over the air.  This will be done via an administrative portal that provides numerous convenience features, including the ability to create user profiles on an individual basis or in groups using a batch upload feature.  Doing More With Mobile The benefits of access control using mobile devices are also driving many companies and organizations to seriously consider incorporating a combination of secure mobile physical and logical access into their facilities and IT access strategies. In addition to receiving digital credentials and “presenting” them to readers at doors and parking gates, smartphones will also be capable of generating one -time passwords for accessing network or cloud- and web-based applications. In other words, the same phone used for building access will also be used in conjunction with a personal tablet or laptop to authenticate to a VPN, wireless network, corporate intranet, cloud- and web-based applications, single-sign-on (SSO) clients and other IT resources.  In some cases phones will replace cards, but in many others they will supplement cards to deliver a more secure and user-friendly experience. The objective is not simply to substitute one credential form factor for another across isolated use cases, but rather to leverage mobile platforms and associated technologies to build unified solutions for ensuring secure access to the door, to data and to cloud applications.  The potential for accelerated adoption of mobile access solutions is one of the most important industry developments in the coming years. Evolving mobile technologies such as NFC and Bluetooth are an important ingredient as smartphones become an integral part of the ecosystem for the creation, management and use of secure identities, and will help offer an improved user experience along with new and more convenient ways to open doors and gates.

HID Global®, a worldwide leader in secure identity solutions, has expanded its iCLASS SE® platform with long-range ultra-high-frequency (UHF) solutions that provide new options for opening doors and parking gates from a distance. The addition of long-range iCLASS SE readers and credentials enables organizations to combine parking gate and door access control on a single card. The convenient solution makes it possible to read credentials from inside vehicle at distances of up to 16.4 feet (5 meters) from the reader. Expanded Functionalities For Enhanced Access Control “HID Global now offers an easier way for our customers to add parking and gate control to their security infrastructure, with new long-range access options that enhance user convenience while improving the flow of people and vehicles to and from facilities,” said John Fenske, vice president of product marketing – Physical Access Control with HID Global. “Our new portfolio of readers and credentials significantly expands the capabilities of an organization’s access control systems across UHF and smart card technologies. The new solution has already delivered proven security and convenience benefits in early deployments at installations spanning hundreds of readers and more than a million credentials.” HID Global’s long-range solutions portfolio includes a new rugged and weather-resistant reader that has been optimized for outdoor use. The iCLASS SE U90 Long Range reader can be used from distances of up to 16.4 feet (5 meters) and features advanced encryption along with end-to-end communications technology for the industry’s highest level of UHF access control security. Also available is a dual-technology iCLASS SE and UHF credential for use with the UHF reader and other iCLASS SE platform readers, providing a single solution for seamless door, parking and gate control. The New Solution Enables The Following Capabilities: Hands-free parking access at the gate without having to roll down the window: The iCLASS SE U90 reader allows users to activate gate control from inside the car. “No-stop” hands-free parking access with the iCLASS SE U90 reader and UHF credentials: Offers a highly secure, long distance option for parking gate control and the additional benefit of improved vehicle flow through parking facilities. Integrated parking and gate control with building access: High frequency architectures can combine door and parking control on a single credential. Higher security: The readers support OSDP to extend security across all communications connections, including long distances between readers and controllers.

HID Global, a worldwide leader in secure identity solutions, recently announced the release of its EDGE EVO® Solo IP-enabled solution that brings intelligence and decision-making to the door for advanced and highly customisable networked access control. As a single-door solution, EDGE EVO® Solo is part of the company’s new generation EDGE EVO® open and scalable controller platform that enables an extensive range of access control functionality, including real-time monitoring, report generation and the use of the system hardware for complimentary applications. EDGE EVO® Solo is a remotely managed stand-alone solution that utilizes a standard web browser and does not require software to be installed on PCs. It also provides the ability to power all devices around a door using Power over Ethernet (PoE), significantly reducing total door installation costs by removing the need to install a separate, dedicated power supply. EDGE EVO® Solo utilizes less expensive CAT5 wiring compared to traditional structured cable, and it can be fully upgradeable to an EDGE EVO® Host solution as access control demands increase. “Offering the convenience of contactless physical access control along with PC login and a variety of additional smart card-enabled applications, EDGE EVO® Solo is ideal for small- and medium-sized businesses managing a single door for ten to hundreds of cardholders,” said John Fenske, vice president of Product Marketing, Physical Access Control with HID Global. “The solution’s intuitive web interface also enables a number of simple management features, making it easy to understand for users that know little to nothing about access control.”